Understanding the roles of laws, regulations, and legal professionals is important to the successful practice of geriatric forensic psychiatry, as geriatric psychiatrists may be among the first clinicians to recognize an elderly person’s need for legal assistance. In working with attorneys, psychiatrists will find it helpful to gain a basic understanding of different aspects of elder law and the ethical obligations of attorneys. This chapter discusses professional ethical codes and rules that lawyers are held to and how these relate to working with the geriatric psychiatrist in assisting an elderly client. When working with an attorney or a court, the geriatric psychiatrist may serve as a consultant, expert witness, educator, or as the treating clinician for a patient involved in legal proceedings. Some degree of reciprocal education is often necessary: the physician can help the attorney learn about a client’s condition (such as its prognosis, treatment, and current or expected impact on cognition and functional status), and the attorney can help the physician to understand how different laws, regulations, or legal professionals may be helpful to the elderly patient or client.
The Role of Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgical Procedures in the Elderly Patient: An Analysis of 49 Patients Between 75 and 95 Years of Age
